Avatarian Nights
by starburstsandsunbursts
Summary: What happens when a young thief named Sokka falls in love with the beautiful Princess Yue? A magical retelling of Aladdin the style of Avatar the Last Airbender!
1. Avatarian Nights

_I come from a land from a faraway place_

_Where the ostrich horses roam_

_Where they cut off your hand if they don't like your face_

_It's barbaric but hey, it's home!_

_When the wind's from the east_

_And the sun's from the west_

_And the sand in the glass is right_

_Come on down stop on by_

_Hop a bison and fly_

_To another Avatarian night..._

_Avatarian nights_

_Like Avatarian days_

_More often than not_

_Are hotter than hot_

_In a lot of good ways_

_Avatarian nights_

_Underneath Avatarian moons_

_A fool off his guard_

_Could fall and fall hard_

_Out there on the dunes_

"Ah! Hello my friends and good evening!" greeted Bumi to a group of people as he slid off Flopsie, pulling out a rather large bag.

"Please come closer if you wish!" he said to the group in a cheerful tone. The people gathered around in great curiosity, but maybe they got a little close for comfort as they left no space for Bumi to move. "Not that close!" The people moved back a couple of inches.

"Much better. Now, may I interest you in anything I have acquired from my travels?" Bumi reached into his bag and pulled out some rock candy. "Best rock candy around! Won't even break your tooth!" He took a big bite into his piece and chewed on it, resulting in a broken tooth.

The people didn't look amused.

"Ah then, how about this!" Trying to impress the crowd, Bumi snatched out a box and showed it to them. "I have never seen anything, more impressive than the famous Ba Sing Se Tupperware! Listen." He pried it open and it made a groaning sound, which was shortly followed by the groans of the people who were beginning to leave as they obviously not amused.

"No wait! Don't go!" Thinking quick, Bumi earth bended a wall in front of the startled group of people, who then turned around and were about to protest.

"I might have something of interest to you, seeing as you all may just be interested in the...exceptionally rare." Bumi said before any complaints were made. He reached into his bag and then pulled out a simple golden lamp, the lid carved with plain pale blue gems. "This is no ordinary lamp you know." said Bumi. "Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts."

"How come?" someone from the crowd asked.

"Because, not too long ago, this very lamp changed the course of a young man's life. A young man, who, like this lamp, was more than he seemed. A...what do you call it? Ah yes, a diamond in the rough, you might say. Maybe you might like to hear the story?"

As it seemed they had no choice, the group of people took their seats on the ground and waited patiently for the story to begin.

Bumi poured glittery sand from the lamp into the palm of his hand. "Our story begins...on a dark night." Upon finishing his sentence, he tossed the sand into the sky. "Where a dark man, on a dark mission, is waiting..."


	2. Who Disturbs My Slumber?

The moon hung suspended right in the middle of a starless sky late one night in a vast desert. Hot wind sent rippling waves of sand across the endless stretch of land. Ozai sat on his komodo rhino while Azula paced back and forth impatiently.

"What is taking so long?" she whined as her feet drug along in the heavy sand. "If we aren't back at the palace before sunrise, they'll suspect something is up."

"Patience." Ozai scolded his daughter. "I'm sure Jun will come along any moment now."

As he spoke, a shadowy form appeared in the distance. It was Jun; she was approaching them on her shirshu. As she neared, Ozai frowned at her."

"You are late." he snapped in a growling tone.

"Sorry." Jun offered a dry apology, not even putting in the least amount of effort to sound like she meant it.

"You have it then?"

"Yep, although I had to paralyze a few souls and slit a few throats to get it." Jun reached into her pocket and revealed half of a gold medallion of a scarab.

Excitement sparked in Ozai's eyes and he eagerly reached out to seize his prize, but Jun held it back.

"Not so fast." The bounty hunter smiled slyly. "Aren't your forgetting the deal? The treasure?"

Ozai frowned, and then nodded to Azula, who then shot a bolt of lightning from her fingers which zapped Jun's hand, causing her to drop her half of the medallion.

"Ouch!" Jun whimpered and grasped her injured hand, then gasped as she realized she had dropped the medallion half. Before she made any motion to pick it back up, Azula had already snatched it up from the ground and given it to her father, a saucy smirk planted on her lips.

"What about our deal?" snapped Jun angrily. "All those riches you promised me? How do I even know you aren't breaking your promise?"

"Trust me my good bandit, you will get what is coming to you." said Ozai as he joined the half of the medallion with his half. Upon being put together, the medallion began to glow brightly and unfolded its wings, suddenly taking flight right out of the palm of Ozai's hand.

"Quick! We must follow it!" Ozai snapped the reins on his komodo rhino and took after the bright beam of light. Azula hopped onto her own komodo rhino and followed her father, Jun not too far behind on her shirshu.

The medallion continued flying until it came upon a large dune. Promptly, it broke into two pieces and dove right into the gritty sand, and all that remained were two glowing points of light.

Suddenly, the dune began to rise, and slowly shaped into a large beast's head with big, glowing eyes.

Ozai slid off his mount with the gleeful look of a child in his eyes. "At last! After all these years, I finally have found it! The Cave of Wonders!"

"By the spirit." breathed Jun as she dismounted her pet, marveling at the sight before her.

"Now remember this." Ozai spoke to the bounty hunter who had crossed her arms. "Only you may enter, but touch nothing, and I repeat, nothing, but the lamp! And when you give me the lamp, I promise, all the treasures that lie within will be yours for the taking."

Jun nodded, and slowly made her way towards the beast's mouth.

"Now I wonder where you dug this desperate character up?" jeered Azula in a whisper to her father. Ozai only smiled and looked back to Jun, who had reached the reached the front of the cave.

"Who dares to disturb my slumber?" bellowed the sandy creature in a deep, menacing tone. So loud, that the pressure of the wind from his voice nearly knocked Jun over.

"It is I Jun…a humble bounty hunter." Jun replied, her voice a bit shaky.

The glowing eyes on the cave looked the shivering bounty hunter over. "Proceed." he said. "But remember this, only one may enter. One who is worthy. A diamond…in the rough!"

Jun hesitated for a moment, and looked back at Azula and Ozai as she wanted their permission.

"Go on!" they both hissed.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Jun put one foot on the first step of the cave. When the only sound that met her was the crunch of sand, she breathed a sigh of relief and continued as she was convinced it was safe.

A loud roar from the beast suddenly sounded and the cave began to shake. Jun panicked, and turned around to flee for the entranceway. But she was too late. Sand came crashing down upon her, burying her completely as the beast's mouth clamped shut.

Ozai and Azula shielded their eyes as sand flew everywhere. When they made sure it was safe again, they looked and were astonished to see that the cave was gone, and the dune had sunk back into place. Jun was gone. All that was left was the two halves of the medallion.

"No! Not again! This was the third time!" Azula dropped to her knees and clawed at the sand furiously. "We are never going to get a hold of that stupid lamp, Father!"

"Do not despair Azula." Ozai picked his daughter up by the collar of her robe and placed her on her feet. "Jun was obviously not as worthy as we had hoped her to be."

"That's what you said last time." said Azula pouting. "That's not a shock!"

"I think we are just going to have to find another diamond in the rough." said Ozai, stroking his short beard thoughtfully.

"But where?"

"That, we'll figure out when we get back to the palace." said Ozai, remounting his komodo rhino. "Come now Azula."

And with a snap of the reins, the man and his daughter rode off into the dark night.


	3. One Jump Ahead

"Stop, thief, or I'll have your hands for a trophy street rat!" the leader of the guard party shouted.

It was certainly not another peaceful day in the main central of the bustling city. Throughout all chaos and business, a thief had managed to go noticed. His crime? Stealing a loaf of bread.

His name was Sokka, and this was considered to be one of his hard days. In a desperate flee from the city guards, he scrambled up to a cluttered rooftop with his prized loaf tucked underneath his arm, barely tumbling over the edge as he came to a skidding halt.

"There you are!" came the rough voice of a soldier.

Sokka gulped and spun around to see the guards approaching him. Taking out his bread, he glanced down at it in wonder. "All this for a loaf of bread?" he questioned to no one in particular.

Seeing no means of escape, his eyes glanced around below at the ground. Pretty narrow chances of surviving. Suddenly, he caught sight of a rope tied to the post attached to the roof, most likely a laundry line as clothes were attached to it.

"Stay put! You've got nowhere to go!" said the big burly leader as he drew out his sword.

"Oh that's what you think." retorted Sokka. Grinning, he stuffed the bread back into the sash tied around his waist and took a flying leap off the roof as the tip of a sword barely scratched his foot. The wind rushing past him felt good, but his arms and legs dangled helplessly as he fell, groping above for means of rescue.

With a grunt, Sokka plunged his hand upwards and felt something rough brush against it. The rope!

Lifting up his other hand, Sokka loosely gripped the rope and slid down with ease, also managing to collide with the laundry attached to it. Several shirts and pants flapped over Sokka's eyes and marred his vision briefly but not enough that he didn't see the stern older lady at the other end of his landing. To make matters more embarrassing, the woman had also seen Sokka coming down the line and had slammed the shutters shut with a heavy frown.

Sokka gasped and tried to tighten his grip as he could slow down and not crash. His plan had been to sail right through the window and through the house and away from the guards. Well, there was only one thing to do, and it was going to hurt.

Closing his eyes, Sokka crashed right into the shutters and stumbled onto the ground, dragging the vast amount of laundry he had collected on his way down. As he heard the guards yelling behind him, he scrambled to his feet and snatched up a dull colored cloak and drew it around himself as a disguise, but to no avail as he knew he would still be recognized being a thief and all.

"You won't get away that easily!" came a voice from above him.

"Huh! You think that was easy?" Sokka glanced at the man briefly before ducking his head to avoid getting strangled. He heard more footsteps stomping into the area and made a quick dash down a shadowed alley and when there, jumped behind a barrel.

The stampede of guards thundered to the entrance. "You four go that way, the rest of you follow me!" Sokka heard the captain order his men.

Sokka slowly got up from his hiding place and paced down the alley. A group of women were gathered ahead and talking.

"Good morning ladies." he casually greeted them, wearing a big smile and trying his best to blend in.

"Getting into trouble a little early today, aren't we Sokka?" teased one of the ladies whose name was Aunt Wu.

"Trouble? Oh no, I'm only in trouble if I get caught." chuckled Sokka. A big hand suddenly caught him off guard by grabbing on his soldier and jerked him back, causing his hood to fall off.

"I'm in trouble." confirmed Sokka, his mind scattering around for a plan.

"I've got you now, street rat!" the captain yelled, reaching for a weapon, but was suddenly interrupted as a furry white lemur leapt onto his back, chattering excitedly and pulling down the helmet on the man.

"Ahh!" The captain began trying to pry the lemur off his head.

"Perfect timing Momo!" congratulated Sokka to his pet. "As usual!"

By now, the guard had already straightened his helmet and Momo and Sokka had took off running again.

"Gotta keep one jump ahead of the breadline, one swing ahead of the sword! I steal only what I can't afford!" sang Sokka in an upbeat tone as he leapt atop a barrel. A guard swung his sword at him to no avail, only slicing it open and causing a ton of fish to fall out as Sokka had jumped out of the way. Momo began chattering excitedly and Sokka grabbed the belt of the big man, causing his pants to fall down, revealing heart-shaped underwear.

"That's everything!" Sokka quickly ran away from the furious guard in a hurry. The big man grumbled and tried to step into his pants as he chased after the thief.

"One jump ahead of the lawman, that's all, and that's no joke!" Sokka dodged a swinging sword, causing it to cut into a pole. "These guys don't appreciate I'm broke!"

He scrambled to the top of stacked crates and grinned slyly down at the guards, kicking a load of barrels with his foot and laughing as they exploded onto the guards, covering them with a grainy liquid.

"Riffraff!" one guard growled.

"Street rat!" another one bellowed.

"Scoundrel! Take that!" The taunts and threats flowed continually as Sokka climbed to the very top of a scaffold. A few of the guards tossed rotten fruit his way.

"Just a little snack guys!" begged Sokka, swinging onto a post and leaning on it. He gasped and ducked behind a wooden column as several swords and axes were hurled his way.

"Rip him open! Take it back guys!" All the guards began shaking the weak poles holding up the scaffold.

"I can take a hint, gotta face the facts!" sang Sokka melodiously as he allowed himself to gracefully jump off the platform. Momo's tiny paws grabbed onto his hands and the two swung through a wide window.

"You're my only friend, Momo!" Sokka burst into a room full of teenage girls with Momo clinging to his feet.

"Who? Oh it's sad; Sokka's hit the bottom!" sang the girls as they glared at Sokka. Momo's eyes lit up as he caught sight of a platter of assorted nuts and fruit and began stuffing them into his mouth.

"He's become the one-man rise in crime!" The girls shoved Sokka aside and he scrambled to find a way out, only to bump into their portly mother.

"I'd blame parents, except he hasn't got 'em!" she remarked, swinging a broom at the skinny thief. Sokka ducked and ran in desperation towards the window.

"Gotta steal to eat, gotta eat to live." sang Sokka as he sat on the ledge, one the girls stomped over and pushed him out. "Tell you all about it when I've got the time!" His voice rang out as he fell.

Thankfully he bounced off an awning and safely landed in a pile of hay, Momo flying out the window behind him. Getting back on his feet, he began to run off again as the guards were not too far behind.

"One jump ahead of the slow pokes, one skip ahead of my doom!" The guards strolled through the streets and passed a muscular man on stage who was flexing his huge arms, not knowing that the person they were after was hiding behind him, also flexing to keep in time so he would not be caught.

Sadly, this wasn't so easy for Momo, whose large ears and long tail peeked above the man's head and gave him away. Sokka gasped and quickly moved from his spot, the audience looking astonished as he ran off, and looking even more astonished as the guards chased after him.

"Next time gonna use a nom de plume." Sokka sang as he whirled around a corner only to be stopped by a herd of sheep. Grumbling as he realized this was his only means of escape, he held on tightly to his bread and continued on, running over the fluffy animals as quickly as he could regain his balance.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw that the guards were using bending to move the sheep out of the way, this only prompting him to go faster.

"One jump ahead of the hitman. One hit ahead of the flock." Sokka finally reached the end of the sheep and turned down a clear path. "I think I'll take a stroll around the block."

Sokka ran through the empty street and narrowly missed stepped on a man who was fast asleep on a bed of nails, the guards chasing after him until one tripped and fell on the poor man in front of him.

Momo ran alongside Sokka, but stopped briefly as a shiny stand of jewels caught his eye and ran over to try and seize a huge ruby ring.

"Stop thief!" the guards called.

"Vandal!" barked the shopkeeper snatched back the ring.

"Momo!" Sokka dashed back to the stall, snatching the lemur and taking off in a rush.

"Scandal!" cried a woman who was holding her purse.

As Sokka ran quickly down the streets, he soon found himself cornered in front of a door by the guards.

"Let's not be too hasty." he pleaded.

The door behind him swung open and out stepped a rather-heavy woman adorned with too much makeup.

"Still I think he's rather tasty!" she sang, picking Sokka up and rocking him around.

Startled, Sokka made a mad dash out of the woman's arms and attempted to run off again only to be stopped as the guards remained in front of him. He leaned against one the guards with one arm, acting as if they were old friends.

"Gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat, otherwise we'd get along!" he sang in a convincing tone, but not convincing enough as the guards gathered closer.

"Wrong!" Every one of the guards at once dove toward Sokka and Momo but with no effort became all tangled up like ropes. The thief and his lemur slipped out from the pile and underneath rather bright ceramic pots, trying to make yet another escape. This plan failed as the guards were obviously able to spot them despite their hiding place.

Discarding the pots behind him, Sokka dashed forward over to a bed of hot coals and played leap frog on the man trying to walk across. The guards chased after him but were greeted with sizzling feet and burning shoes.

Momo and Sokka dashed through the street rapidly, passing a circus man along the way who was attempting the swallow-the sword trick. While Sokka continued on, Momo ran back and cleverly using his lemur wits, snatched the sword up and scampered off to face the guards, leaving the performer to clutch his now very sore throat.

Momo chattered as he swung the heavy sword aimlessly at the shocked guards.

"The lemur has a sword!" one of them whined in a panicked voice.

"You idiot! We all have swords!" reminded the captain as he brandished his own weapon, the other guards following his lead.

Screeching, Momo dropped the sword and scampered away to catch up with Sokka. The two of them ran down an alley only to be greeted by another group of guards. Turning back around to go the other way, they were again greeted by more guards. No way out!

In a hurried panic, Sokka glanced around for means of getting away and spotted a rope. Grabbing Momo and sitting him on his shoulder, he grabbed onto the rope and climbed up.

"One jump ahead of the hoof beats." he sang as he sped down the intersection but stopped short.

"Vandal!" shouted some guards were in his way.

"One hop ahead of the hump!"

"Street rat!" The guards kept coming.

Sokka took a left and dashed up a flight of stairs that were curved around a building. "One trick ahead of disaster!"

He heard Momo screeching and chattering and looked to see the little lemur was surrounded by guards. Snatching him back up, Sokka dove through a nearby window. "They're quick but I'm much faster!

Glancing around, he snatched up a rug from the ground. "Here goes, better throw my hand in, wish me happy landin', all I've gotta do is jump!" He and Momo ran towards the window and made a flying leap out with the carpet spread out beneath them.

The guards were still in hot pursuit and even the window didn't stop them. They jumped out and attempted to use their bending to slide down evenly, but failed every single one of them fell into a huge soft, and smelling pile of what just happened to be ostrich-horse manure.

Sokka parachuted over a high wall with Momo on his shoulder and they safely made it to the ground. "Alright! We did it!" cheered Sokka. "And now my fellow partner in crime, we feast!"

He took out his prized loaf of bread and broke it in two, giving Momo one half to munch on. The lemur chattered happily and hugged the half he had been given, not delaying any longer to take a huge bite. The bread still smelled just as fresh as when Sokka had stolen it. He savored the delicious scent, and brought his half up to his mouth and was just about to take a bite, when a pattering sound in the alley disrupted him.

He looked up to see two small children rummaging through a barrel of garbage looking for something to eat. The girl lifted out a small fishbone, but when she saw Sokka looking she dropped it back into place and disappeared behind the barrel, alongside with the boy Sokka assumed to be her brother.

Sokka looked hesitantly at them, then his bread, and then down at his growling stomach. He was hungry. Even more hungry than yesterday. And he wasn't yet willing to give up something he had just risked his life to get just to satisfy the empty feeling in his stomach. Without looking at the children again, he turned around from them and was again about to take a bite, but the hungry stares of the children bore deeply into him and he couldn't help but feel guilty. They needed it more than he did. They had probably gone about a week without eating, and he had only gone a few days.

With a sigh, Sokka got up and walked over to the children with his half of the loaf in tow. Both the boy and girl stared at him with big round eyes and didn't make any motive to get up, only shrinking back as they didn't know who he was.

"It's ok. Here." Sokka knelt down beside them and held out his bread.

Both the children didn't say or do anything. Smiling reassuringly, Sokka continued to hold the bread out. "Here, go ahead and take it." he said.

The girl reached out slowly took the half of bread from Sokka's hand. She tore off one bit to give to her brother and munched on the part she left for herself. Both children giggled and a happy look developed on their faces as they devoured their small meal.

Although this would have been the time Sokka would have been complaining about food, he couldn't help but feel a bit better about himself as he watched the children eat. He didn't know whether or not they were runaways or orphans, but he silently hoped they would be able to find their next meal on their own. After all, he needed to eat too.

Hearing a chattering sound behind him, Sokka looked around and saw Momo had climbed atop his shoulder, a mean glare in the lemur's eyes as if to say "Why did you give your supper for?"

Sokka just shrugged as he couldn't speak lemur. Momo clambered down from his master's shoulder and down to the children, staring at them curiously with big green eyes. For a moment, it seemed he was just going to back to eating, but Sokka was surprised as he saw the small lemur give up his prize. The children accepted it, and the little girl patted Momo on the head as a thank you.

Trumpets sounded suddenly. Sokka turned around and could hear millions of footsteps gathering beyond the wall. "Come on, Momo! Let's go see what it is." he encouraged his pet.

The lemur chattered in agreement and the two made their way from out of the alley and into the street where a whole line of people had formed. "Excuse me, coming through!" Sokka squeezed between two portly gentlemen before finally making it to the front to see what was going on.

There in the street sat a rather handsome young man about his age in royal garments sitting upon an ostrich horse with an outrageously colored saddle. He looked like he might be from the Water Tribe, like Sokka was.

"On his way to the palace I suppose." remarked someone behind Sokka.

"Yes, another suitor for the princess." Someone else sighed.

Sokka stifled a chuckle as he heard this. Several times had many princes come, from the Fire Nation, the Water Tribe, and even the Earth Kingdom, in search of Princess Yue's hand in marriage. And each one of them had left without her in tow for a honeymoon. Sokka couldn't understand why the princess was being so picky. Many fine men had come and she had turned each of them down. He silently prayed that maybe this time it would be different.

He nearly jumped as the two children he had met earlier ran out from behind him, the girl trying to stop her little brother from running into the street but was too late. Both of them stumbled down in front of the Water Tribe prince's ostrich horse and spooked it, nearly sending the young man off flying.

"Out of the way you nasty kids!" he snapped sharply, reaching behind him for a whip and making to attack the children. The children both cringed and prepared for the sharp sting of the weapon.

Sokka gasped and took out his boomerang, hurling it towards the prince's whip but as usual, missed and the boomerang ended up smacking the prince right in the head.

The prince groaned as he rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head and glared about the crowd. "Who threw that?" he demanded.

Sokka ran out to retrieve his boomerang but halted in front of the Water Tribe prince, as he had a thing or two to say. "If I were as rich as you, I think I could afford some decent manners!" he said angrily.

"Manners? Humph! I'll teach you manners!" The prince snorted and kicked Sokka away from his mount, sending the skinny boy along with the lemur in a mud puddle. The crowd began to laugh hysterically as Sokka stood up, almost completely doused in mud.

Momo whined and began licking the mud off his own fur. Sokka growled and wiped the mud away from his face as he watched the snobbish prince make off on his mount again, suddenly being struck with an idea.

"Hey look Momo, it's not every day that you see an ostrich horse with _two _rear ends!" he jeered with a mischievous grin.

The crowd gasped in shock. The Water Tribe prince's form hardened and he turned around to look at Sokka. "You, are a worthless street rat." he spat out. "You were born a street rat, and you will die a worthless, pathetic little street rat! And the only ones who will even notice you are gone will be the fleas."

Sokka gritted his teeth and started to reach for his boomerang to hurl at the prince, but the young man had already entered the palace courtyard with the huge doors had swung shut behind him.

"I'm not worthless!" he shouted. "And...I don't have fleas!" He looked down at his arm in surprise as he saw a small flea jump off the sleeve of his shirt. Even the bugs wanted to prove him wrong.

With a heavy sigh, he turned around from the gate and scooped Momo up onto his shoulder. "Let's go home now." he said sadly.

The two of them went down the street a little ways down until they had entered the lowest part of town, which would be the ally all filled with trash. It was getting dark outside, and the cheery attitude Sokka had usually started the day with was gone. He didn't feel like himself. He felt hungry. He felt miserable. And for the first time in his life, he didn't feel like trying to crack another bad joke of his just to feel better.

"Riffraff, street rat. I don't buy that." he sang softly as he kicked a rock out the way. "If only they'd look closer!"

He and Momo made it to the place they called home and began to climb up a half-broken ladder and entered into a tiny one room apartment that was cluttered with trash and broken furniture.

"If only they'd look closer...would they see a poor boy? No siree." Sokka slowly strode through his humble home as Momo scampered over to a tattered pillow and cuddled up on it, wasting no time in getting to sleep.

"They'd find out, there's so much more..." Sokka paused and pulled aside a large ripped up blanket that served as a curtain from the window to reveal a gorgeous view of the palace. "To me."

He sat on the edge of the window and stared at the magnificent view quietly. "Someday Momo, things are going to change." he said to the lemur, who was asleep on his pillow. "We're going to live in a big palace! Just like that one! And we'll be really rich and we can eat all the delicious food we want."

But as Sokka continued to stare, he knew that was impossible. Just like the prince had said, he would always be a street rat, nothing more.

**Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading this chapter! It took me about last night and today to get it finished and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. But I still have a lot more to go, and I'm ready to write more. One thing, I'm going to be out of town for the next week, so there might be a slight delay in chapters. Be patient! **

**And also, before you say anything, yes, I might be making Sokka act a little out of character, but he is going through a tough time right now! Try being in his shoes!**


	4. An Unhappy Princess

Chief Arnook sat in the palace main room, surveying over the vast amount of papers and such out in front of him. It wasn't amusing, but he needed to do something to keep his mind off the fact that another suitor was entertaining his daughter right now. He prayed to Agni that she would actually find young Lord Hahn to her liking.

The doors behind him suddenly swung open with a loud bang and pounding footsteps barged into the room. Arnook spun around in shock to see a flustered—and not to mention soaking wet Hahn making his way towards the exit with a servant behind him, luggage in tow.

"I've never been so...insulted before in my life!" he was spattering as he stormed by Arnook.

"Oh Lord Hahn, you aren't leaving are you?" Arnook hurried after the young man in desperation.

Hahn snorted and wiped away the water off his face with his sleeve. "Good luck marrying her off!" he said, and with that stormed off again out the huge doors, revealing also a huge tear in the back of his pants.

"Oh no..." Arnook ran his hand across his now sweaty brow and turned to face the still-open courtyard doors. "Yue! Yue!" He dashed out the gates to where his daughter sat out at the fountain with her friends, Katara and Toph, sprinkling some feed for some baby turtle ducks.

"Don't crowd now." Her father heard her say as he neared. "There's plenty for everyone."

Arnook sighed as he approached and stopped for a moment to watch Yue as she stroked the soft feathers of one of the tiny animals. She was a beautiful girl, about sixteen, and had her mother's caring and thoughtful attitudes, yet why did she have to be so demanding when it came to suitors?

"Yue, I must speak to you now!" he called out to her as he approached, but was abruptly stopped as a rock was chucked past him.

"Toph!" He glared at his daughter's young blind friend.

"Sorry Chief Arnook, I couldn't exactly see well since my feet are in the water." apologized Toph as she swung her feet back in forth in the pond and scattered more seeds as little turtle ducks gathered around her.

Yue giggled and looked back to Arnook. "What is it you wanted to talk to me about Father?" she asked.

Arnook gave her a look as if to say "You know what I mean."

Yue's smile abruptly disappeared. "Oh, you mean Hahn." She absentmindedly looked away. "I'm sorry about that."

"That was nearly the sixth suitor who came close to a proposal!" Arnook frowned at the princess. "What happened this time? Why was Lord Hahn all wet? And could one of you possibly tell me why...his pants were slightly discarded?"

All three girls sitting on the fountain edge and glanced at each other and then at the ground. No one said anything for about five minutes, until Yue broke the silence.

"We were just playing a game with him, Father." she said.

"What kind of game, prey tell?"

"A...dodging-the-elements game?"

"What...oh." Arnook shook his head in annoyance. "You mean the same one you played with Warrior Haru when he visited?"

"It was different this time! At least Hahn didn't leave in bandages like Haru did." The princess frowned and looked down at the water.

"He looked like a drowned platypus bear." whispered Katara to Toph, both girls laughing at the smart remark the water bender had given, but quickly stopped and covered up their laughing with weird coughs as they noticed Chief Arnook was not amused by their joke.

"Girls, I'm going to have you ask you to leave. I need to have a private conversation with my daughter." he said, maintaining a calm tone.

As the young girls got up to leave, Arnook took a seat beside his daughter who was still staring face down at the water. He didn't want to say anything to her, as he was still angered by her rejection of another suitor, but, he had to say something. The same thing he had told her every time.

"Yue...you must stop rejecting each suitor who comes calling on you." he said to her. "You know the law of our country, by the time of your next birthday..."

"I must be married so I can take the throne." Yue finished her father's sentence and stroked her fingers lightly in the fountain water. "I know, I know." She scooped up a handful of feed from a bag nearby and tossed it to a baby turtle duck that was near the edge searching for dinner. She then looked dreamily off into the distance and smiled. "If I do marry...I want it to be for love."

"Yue..." Arnook's voice trailed off as he thought carefully of what to say. "I won't be around forever. And I just want to make sure you are taken care of and provided for, please understand that."

Yue held out her hand as a little turtle duck climbed into it. "But can't you understand Father? My whole life I've been trapped inside this place and not allowed to go anywhere. I haven't made any friends!"

"Then what does that make us?" came Katara's voice from out of nowhere. She and Toph poked their heads around from the wall where they had been standing.

Yue chuckled softly. "Except for Katara and Toph." she said loud enough so that they could hear her. "But other than that..."

"Yue, I understand completely, but you are a princess of the Northern Water Tribe. And as princess—"

"Well maybe I don't want to be a princess anymore!" In anger, Yue slapped at the water in the fountain, scaring away the baby turtle ducks.

Arnook grumbled and got up from his seat on fountain rim and strode off upset. "Agni forbid you have any daughters!" he snapped to Toph and Katara as he passed them.

The two girls waited for him to go by and then headed back to their friend who was still sitting on the fountain sadly, her head bent and tears could be made coming down her face.

"That went well." Toph remarked as she sat down beside the crying princess.

"Don't bother, I know what you are trying to say." Yue wiped a tear from her eye and stifled back the choking in her voice. "It happens every time. He just doesn't understand."

Katara sympathetically wrapped her arm around her friend. "Give your father some space Yue, I'm sure he understands but just wants what is best for you."

"I know he does, but I just wish I could make decisions myself for once." said Yue. "I mean, my whole life it's been 'Yue do this this' or 'Yue do that'. It's painful."

"And I share that pain." added Toph, as she was also from a powerful and rich family with overprotective parents. "But I'm not the one being forced to get married." "Neither am I. But just remember, we're here for you, Yue." added Katara.

Yue brushed back a stray lock of hair and sighed. She loved her friends dearly, and was grateful for their concern, but none of that made her feel any better at the moment. In fact, she was becoming worried. What if she never did pick a suitor? Then her father would have to pick one. He might pick someone not likeable.

Why think about it now, she thought. I can't stay here. Not another moment.

Meanwhile, Chief Arnook was back in his throne room in pondering of the events that had just taken place. He was debating whether or not he was being too soft on his daughter. He needed to be more firm. Yes, he should be firm. The next time a suitor showed up, that would the lucky man. But what if Yue disapproved?

Right as he was thinking on these troubles, a shadow formed over him. He looked up in fright but breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was only his royal advisor, Ozai.

"Oh Ozai, just the person I wanted to see." He got up from his throne with a heavy sigh. "I'm in desperate need of your advice."

"Whatever you ask of me, my liege." Ozai said, taking a graceful bow.

"It's this suitor business. Yue is being very picky and I don't know what to do, the sixth suitor just left recently. And I thought with you being the genius you are, could come up with a solution of such?"

"That is dreadful. " A smile curved Ozai's lips upward. "I may yet be able to be of service to you, Chief. But before I do, I must ask something of you."

"Anything. Name your price."

"In order to get the best results in your problem, it would require use of your royal ring."

"The ring?" Chief Arnook took a glance down at the shimmering sapphire ring on his finger. "I don't know, it's been in our family for generations...and I couldn't possibly..."

"It is necessary to find the princess a suitor." Ozai took out a large gold staff that's head resembled a dragon from behind his robes and leaned it towards the Water Tribe Chief. Its beady red eyes stared straight into Arnook's, thus causing the man to become hypnotized.

"Yes, it is necessary..." he said in a daze.

"Don't worry my lord, I assure you everything will be fine." continued Ozai, still holding the staff forward.

"Everything will be fine..." Arnook repeated the last half of the sentence.

"Now, the ring if you will?" Ozai held out his hand expectantly.

"The ring? Oh, oh yes, the ring." Still in a trance, Arnook slipped the beautiful ring off his finger and handed it to his advisor. "Whatever you say."

Ozai pulled back his staff and snatched the ring out of Arnook's hand and dropped it into his pocket. "I am grateful, chief. Now, as I go find a solution to this problem, how about to go back to your maps?"

"Yes, that sounds...good." As Arnook went back to the long table covered with rolled up pieces of paper and maps, Ozai headed out to the courtyards where Azula was waiting patiently.

"Well Father? Did you get it?" she asked with excitement as he approached.

Ozai smiled deviously and slipped out the ring from his pocket. The two walked into the palace corridors until coming to a large tapestry draped across the wall. Ozai drew it back to reveal a small hole in the wall. Taking a deep breath, Ozai then released a shot of fire from his mouth and the flame went right through the hole, framing one of the panels in the wall beyond. The panel slid back and to the right, revealing a secret passage, in the passage was a winding staircase made of stone which he and Azula walked down.

"Finally, we shall know who this diamond in the rough is." gloated Ozai as they went.

"It will be a good thing, and then we won't have to put up with that Water Tribe Chief and that snotty princess anymore." agreed Azula. "Once we get hold of the lamp that is."

"Yes daughter, then I shall be the ruler, and then you shall be the princess. Everything will be as we ever dreamed it." As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Ozai and his daughter both let out rings of chilling laughter that echoed to the top of the staircase.


	5. The Princess Meets the Thief

The sky was a pitch black, not one star in sight. As the only sound being heard was crickets in the palace garden, it was soon accompanied by soft footsteps.

It was Yue. She was sneaking quietly through the garden, wearing a long dark cloak to disguise her with the night. She had waited patiently in her room for an hour before she had made sure Toph and Katara had retired, and then snuck out. She was going to do it. She was going to leave.

Suddenly, she felt a hand reach out onto her shoulder and nearly screamed. Had the guards found her?

"Yue! Relax, it's only us!" Yue recognized Katara's voice and spun around in anger.

"Katara! Toph!" she hissed back. "What are you doing here? I thought you were sleeping!"

"I was going to bed, but your father wanted me to make sure you were alright. You know, of what happened today..." Katara said. "So when I went to your room and you weren't there...well, I got kind of worried. So me and Toph went to find you without alerting anybody."

"And now that we have seen where you got off to, can I back to bed now?" Toph yawned, sleepily rubbing her eyes. "I'm really tired."

Yue frowned. She didn't have time for this. She needed to get going; it would daylight any minute now.

"Look you two; I'm sorry I gave you a fright. But I meant to tell you beforehand." she said.

"Tell us what?"

Yue hesitated, glanced around to make sure none of the guards were nearby, and then looked back to her friends to drop the secret. "I'm leaving."

"What?" Both Katara and Toph's jaws dropped open in shock.

"Keep it quiet!" Yue shushed her friends. "Do you want us all to get caught out here?"

"Sorry." Katara apologized. "But Yue, you can't leave! Your father is worried enough about you and this would just complicate things."

"Sugar queen's got a point." agreed Toph.

"But I can't stay here." Yue looked away. "I don't want to stay here. I don't want to have my life lived for me. I want to see what it's like out there."

Toph and Katara remained silent for a few moments. This was beginning to frighten Yue. Any moment they might turn around and alert the guards. Then she might get in trouble with her father again. That was the last thing she wanted after their discussion that day.

Finally, after about five minutes, Katara broke the silence.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes." Yue said with a firm nod.

Katara sighed and looked at her feet. "Then don't let us stand in your way." she said. "If you feel this is what is best for you."

"Yeah, go out and see the world. And if you come back, tell us what it was like, because I want to know every detail from the weather to the dirt." Toph said with a grin, also at the same time muffling another yawn.

"Ok Toph, I will." Yue said with a laugh. Turning away from her friends, she quietly trekked the garden grounds until reaching her favorite climbing tree she had use to play on as a child. Putting one hand in front of the other, Yue climbed up the tree and across a thick branch that reached the top of the palace wall. As she placed both feet on the solid stone, she took one last look at her friends and gave them a reassuring smile.

"Goodbye." she whispered.

"Good luck out there!" Katara and Toph both waved as Yue disappeared over the wall. Both girls released heavy sighs, and turned to go back to their chambers.

As quickly as it had become night, the sky once again made a change of colors as it blossomed into a beautiful shade of blue. The sun shone brightly down upon the busy market place as the notorious thief was work again.

Sokka and Momo sat atop an awning over a melon stand, waiting for the perfect time to snatch their breakfast. Peeking beneath the awning, Sokka could still see the man at the vendor was still busy calling out to potential customers. Perfect.

"Now Momo, go!" He looked back up and gave the big eyed lemur a nod.

Momo chattered and crawled over the edge and glanced at the proprietor before snatching up a small melon from the huge pile.

"Melons! Get them now! Fresh and ripe!" The stall owner called out to passerby's. Momo ran out in front of the big man, holding the melon high above his head and chattering.

"Why you naughty lemur! Get your paws of my melon!" The man tried to snatch his prized fruit but Momo hissed and held it back.

"Why, you, you little thief!" The man snatched the melon from Momo and tried to shoo him away, unaware that behind him that the real crime was taking place. Sokka dipped upside down from the awning and picked up a melon as quick as he went back up.

The proprietor finally succeeded in shooing Momo away and placed the melon back atop the stack, not even noticing that one had strangely gone missing.

Momo flew back to the top of the awning and joined Sokka, who broke the melon into two halves and gave the other half to his accomplice.

"Nice work Momo!" he congratulated the lemur.

As the two feasted on the juicy melon, not too far away was Yue. She was still wearing her disguise as a commoner as she continued down the street. She was amazed at all she was seeing. So many vendors full of spices, jewelry, all sorts of things!

"Pretty lady buy a pot! No finer pot in brass or silver!" One shopkeeper called out to her as she passed, holding out a decorated pot. Yue smiled and politely shook her head and walked on pass another stand where a man was selling dates.

"Sugar dates! Sugar dates and figs!" he called out. Yue's mouth watered as she passed and she reached into her money pouch for some coins, but found nothing but cloth to meet her fingers. Had she left all her money back at the palace? Oh well, it didn't matter. She wasn't really planning on buying anything.

She then passed a stall full of jewelry, where once again another shopkeeper tried to sell her something.

"Would you like to buy a necklace? Pretty necklace for a pretty lady!" he said with a wink. Although flattered by the man's compliment, Yue continued forward just in time to be greeted by a fish...well, to be logical, it was just another vendor.

"Fresh fish! We cut 'em, you buy 'em!" The man continued to hold out the stinky fish out to the princess as if he expected her to take it.

"No thank you." Yue shook her head and backed away from the stall, not before bumping into someone attempting a swallow-the-flame trick.

"Oh! Excuse me." she apologized as the poor man began choking. She reached out to pat the man's back but before she even touched him, the man coughed out a ball of fire, startling Yue and causing her hood to fall back.

It had just happened as Sokka was upon the awning munching on his slice of melon, that his eyes had been wandering about the marketplace but had frozen when he saw the man choking up flames. He chuckled to himself. But his laughter was quickly stifled as he caught sight of the girl standing next to the fire-breathing man. She was...beautiful. He couldn't help but notice that. Her skin was the same mocha color as his, so he only assumed she was from the Water Tribe as well. And her hair...he had never seen anything so white and long!

"I'm really...very sorry." Yue apologized once more to the man as she slowly walked away from him.

Sokka continued to stare at the girl as she put her hood up. Yes, she was very pretty. He had to find some way to talk to her.

Unaware she was being watched by a nearby villager, Yue continued down the stone pathway until she came upon a stand of fruit and noticed a small boy on his tip-toes trying to get a big shiny apple. She couldn't help but feel pity for the child. He must be an orphan, she thought.

"Aw, you must be hungry." she said looking down him. The boy looked at Yue sadly with pleading eyes. Without hesitation, Yue plucked the apple from the big assortment of fruits and handed it to him. "Here you go."

The lad's eyes sparkled as he took the apple in his own hands and he gave a grateful glance at Yue, but his smile vanished suddenly and took off running, leaving the apple behind. At first, Yue didn't understand why until a large shadow came up behind her as she turned to leave.

"You'd better be able to pay for that." A deep voice growled. It was the shopkeeper.

"Pay?" Yue squeaked in a tiny voice.

The huge man grabbed the frightened girl by the arm and led her back to the fruit cart in a huff. Yue struggled to free herself from the man's chain-like grip but to no avail.

"No one steals from my cart!" the man bellowed angrily.

"I'm sorry sir but I have no money." Yue managed to say with a hint of shakiness in her voice. "I—"

"Thief!" The man tightened his grip on Yue as she tried to get away again.

Sokka, who had been watching the whole scenario take place from the awning, quickly realized that this girl was in trouble and this was his chance to impress her and be a hero! Quickly, he shoved his half-eaten melon slice aside and crawled down from his spot.

"Please, if you let me go to the palace, I can ask the chief for some money." begged Yue in desperation to the shopkeeper.

But the man ignored her completely. He pinned her arm down on a barrel. "Do you know what the penalty is for stealing?" he growled as took out a sword.

Yue gasped. It was now she realized what this man intended to do: He was going to chop her hand off! Oh what severe punishment he would get if her father found out. But her father didn't even know she was gone. Yue searched her mind for means of escaping with the man, but she was too scared to try anything.

"No please!" she pleaded as the man lowered the sword, but was abruptly stopped as Sokka's hand appeared and grabbed the man's arm.

"Oh thank you kind sir." said Sokka as he slipped the sword out of the man's hand and dropped it to ground. "I'm so glad you found her!" He shook the man's hand in pretend gratitude and turned to an astonished Yue. "I've been looking all over for you!" he scolded the girl as he pushed her away from the stand.

"What are you doing?" Yue whispered to him as the two walked off.

"Just play along." replied Sokka quietly but stopped walking as the cartkeeper's hand grabbed his shoulder.

"You...uh, know this girl?" asked the man in disbelief.

Sokka glanced at Yue for a moment, and back to the man. "Sadly yes, she is my sister." he lied, wrapping an arm around the burly man as if they were friends sharing a secret. "She's uh... too well in the head."

Yue gasped and frowned at the impudence of this boy. Yes, she was grateful for him saving her life, but he didn't need to go calling her crazy!

"She said she knew the Water Tribe chief!" The man growled as he pushed Sokka off him and spun the boy around to look him in the eye.

Sokka chuckled and broke free the vendor's grasp. "She thinks the lemur is the sultan!" he said motioning to Momo, who was sneakily trying to pick-pocket someone's purse but stopped halfway in shock as he thought he had been caught.

Yue glanced at the lemur and flashed a mischievous grin as she was struck with an idea. Falling to her knees, she bowed down in front of Momo. "Oh wise chief, how may I serve you?" she asked the stunned lemur. Momo tipped his head and stared at the girl.

"Tragic isn't it?" Sokka slipped an apple out from the man's cart and tossed it to him. "But, no harm done." He walked over to Yue and helped her up from the ground. "Now come along dear sister, let's go see the doctor."

"Oh hello doctor, how are you?" asked Yue as she stopped in front of an ostrich camel.

"No, no, no not that doctor." Sokka pushed Yue away and turned to call for Momo. "Come on chief!"

Momo glanced at Sokka and started to scamper after him, not before leaving a trail of stolen fruit along with him.

"Hey! Why you little thief!" An angry voice shouted from somewhere amongst a crowd.

"Uh-oh." Sokka scooped the lemur up onto his shoulder and he and Yue took off running down the street as the shopkeeper had gotten out his sword again and was chasing them.

"What are we going to do?" panted Yue as she tried to keep up with Sokka.

"Don't worry, I've done this lots of times." reassured Sokka. "But I know what to do! Just follow me and I'll take you somewhere safe."

The princess didn't know whether or not she could trust this boy. After all, she had just met him and who knew what he was capable of? Well, he was capable of manipulation, she knew that much. And what choice did she have? Go with this stranger or risk getting her hand chopped off again?


End file.
